NEWS RELEASE
February 25, 2020 (Pittsburgh, PA) – PHIPPS CONSERVATORY ACHIEVES HIGHEST BREEAM IN-USE RATING IN THE UNITED STATES
Recently, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, in collaboration with BRE Global, officially announced that Phipps’ Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) has been certified using the BREEAM USA standard for existing buildings. The CSL is the first building in the United States to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating and the first building certified under BREEAM in the state of Pennsylvania. 3R was honored to provide assistance to the Phipps team throughout the documentation and submission process for this certification standard.
BREEAM was developed in 1990 by BRE Global, the first assessment method for buildings in the world. Today, BREEAM is internationally recognized as the most comprehensive and holistic environmental assessment method. Certification gives stakeholders’ confidence about their building’s performance and recognition that a building meets, and continues to meet, the robust BREEAM In-Use sustainability standards.
The Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) is a 24,350-square-foot education, research and administration facility at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, a public garden attraction in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Designed and built to generate all of its own energy while treating and reusing all water captured on-site, the CSL is the first facility in the world to meet four of the world’s highest green construction standards — The Living Building Challenge, WELL Building Platinum, SITES Platinum and LEED® Platinum — and now adds the distinctive BREEAM Outstanding In-Use rating to its resume.
“At Phipps, we believe that public gardens have a role to play in mitigating the challenge of climate change, and we believe the answer lies in regenerative thinking that extends to our buildings, programs and operations,” says Richard Piacentini, Phipps’ president and CEO. He continues, “The achievement of the BREEAM rating helps us to communicate the value of green building to new audiences while placing us in the company of some of the world’s most innovative sustainable building projects.”
“3R Sustainability believes in the powerful impact existing buildings can have on the environment and the health of the people inside the building. 3R is honored to be a part of this incredible achievement,” underscores Jana Lake, 3R’s CEO. 3R Sustainability Manager and Project Lead, Kathy Hrabovsky adds, “The Phipps Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) is an exceptional example of what can be achieved when a building is not only designed with high performance in mind, but is held to the highest standard for building operations.”
The 3R Team looks forward to attending and celebrating the milestone achievement at the presentation of Phipps’ BREEAM plaque at the Center for Sustainable Landscapes on March 10, 2020 alongside all the talented sustainability professionals who contributed to this remarkable project.
About Phipps
Founded in 1893, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, PA is a globally recognized green leader with a mission to inspire and educate all with the beauty and importance of plants; to advance sustainability and promote human and environmental well-being through action and research; and to celebrate its historic glasshouse. Encompassing 15 acres including a historic 14-room glasshouse, 23 distinct indoor and outdoor gardens and industry-leading sustainable architecture and operations, Phipps attracts more than half a million visitors annually from around the world. Learn more at phipps.conservatory.org.
About 3R
A woman-owned business headquartered in a LEED Gold certified office in Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District, 3R Sustainability provides high-performance building consulting to integrate and optimize all material building performance metrics, including energy efficiency, life-cycle performance, and occupant health and productivity. 3R integrates building performance and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) consulting services to build business value and brand equity for its clients. The 3R team is made up of accredited professionals with backgrounds in engineering, business management consulting, and system assessments. 3R Sustainability is a certified B Corporation named Best for its Workers in 2019, JUST Label organization, U.N. Global Compact Signatory, and Best Place to Work in Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.3Rsustainability.com or call 724-741-9900.
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Contact: Kathy Hrabovsky
[email protected]
724-741-9900 x635